hey all ,ive made prosciutto before and my next one i would like to smoke it like Westphalia ham.any good recipes out there?when do i put it to smoke and how long?anyone on here thats got pics of there own?thanks.(ok the title should be smoked"prosciutto"questionS lol)
I haven't made prosciutto yet, but when I apply smoke to any whole muscle meat that will be dried, I apply cold smoke after I remove it from the cure and air dried it until the surface is tacky. Keep the cabinet temperature below 90°F, and place a warm pan of water 70°F to 80°F in then bottom of the cabinet; to provide some humidity. If possible keep the vent 1/4 to 1/2 closed; if you can't keep the cabinet temperature down below 90°F then you may have to open the vent wider. Smoke flavor is an individual taste, for prosciutto (or any pork) I would use pecan or hickory if you like a slightly stronger smoke flavor. If you are using the Bradley apply 2 - 4 hours.
Quote from: howlin on January 09, 2011, 12:43:32 PMhey all ,ive made prosciutto before and my next one i would like to smoke it like Westphalia ham.any good recipes out there?when do i put it to smoke and how long?anyone on here thats got pics of there own?thanks.(ok the title should be smoked"prosciutto"questionS lol)
I would like to do some as well! Do you have any pics of when you cured it?
The lomo I cured and the bresaola both got 10 hours of hickory.
Thanks.
SamuelG
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i cured and smoked my 5 pound experiment and ive just put it into its long sleep spot 2 to 3 months(ill try to get picks up when i figure that part out) my temp is reading around 16 c (around 60f for you southerners lol)is this too warm for the drying process?
The temperature of 60°F is alright. I have seen temperature ranges from 55°F to 65°F. I may try a five pound boneless experiment myself. Keep us posted.
i put the lard paste step on it today but before i did that i cheaked it over for spoilage ....none and the color it was turning was ...wow ,nice light brown from the smoking and 24 hour rest .i didnt really want to put on the lard paste but thats what the recipe calls for.(do i have to do it?)
I'm not that familiar with curing prosciutto and only reviewed a few recipes, since I've only recently seriously thought of trying this. The few recipes I've come across do not mention applying lard paste. At this point I would follow the recipe you have.
I'm interested in the recipe you are using. Did you find this recipe on line, or is it in a book? If it is on line can you provide a link? If it is from a book can you provide a reference?
ok....I'm gonna ask a really stupid question...isn't smoked prosciutto just rolled up bacon? Isn't is just rolled up cured ham? Smoke it...ya get bacon?
Please correct me if I'm wrong?
Hi La Quinta;
Pancetta is the bacon that you are thinking of, and that requires cooking. Prosciutto is dry cured ham, that can be eaten uncooked.
You are correct...but don't we cure pork....(wet or dry) then if you smoke it it's Italian -American bacon? Or is your point that you can eat prosciutto without cooking it? And the smoke just adds flavor to an already "cooked" meat?
The terms you are using such as wet and dry cure, are methods of applying a cure when fast curing. I'm using the term Dry Cure as the curing method used to air dry meat over a long period of time until it looses around 30 - 35% of it's moisture, without cooking it. Adding smoke is optional when making prosciutto, and it is generally not done. When you apply smoke to prosciutto you would use a cold smoke method so the meat is not cooked. Once fully air dried you can eat it as is without cooking.
The only comparison I can think of at this time is the difference between a smoked ham to a country ham. The smoked ham is cured and requires further cooking. A country ham is air dried, and does not require further cooking and can be eaten as is.
ok..thanks Habs...have always learned a lot from your posts....I think i tried to compare apples and oranges...I like to learn why certain meats are so exspensive when you can actually do them yourself for WAY less....cold smoked salmon and cheese are a particular focus for me...my cold smoking window is so short that I try to do all I can...but hanging meat for months...ain't gonna happen here...
I assume the cost of some cured meats is in "the waiting" period....
Anyhoo...thanks for the education
"I'm interested in the recipe you are using. Did you find this recipe on line, or is it in a book? If it is on line can you provide a link? If it is from a book can you provide a reference?" from habs .the recipe is from a book i found called" preserved" by nick sandler and johnny acton .awesome book ,lots of pictures and all the other recipes ive tried (normal prociutto,bresola ,anchovies ect )have turned out excellent.i highly recommend this book (im pretty sure its a uk publication)im trying the biltong when it warms up a bit more outside (calgary alberta canada) im not sure i can give you this recipe on here (copywrite laws?)if its cool with this website ill give it to you. :D
hey habs heres the book .i hope the link works http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Preserved-Nick-Sandler-Johnny-Acton/9781906868024-item.html?ikwid=preserved&ikwsec=Books
Interesting book. I just picked up a used copy from Amazon.com for $1.50..
Thanks for the link!
Howlin;
Thanks for the link.
Quote from: La Quinta on January 21, 2011, 02:28:59 AM
ok..thanks Habs...have always learned a lot from your posts....I think i tried to compare apples and oranges...I like to learn why certain meats are so exspensive when you can actually do them yourself for WAY less....cold smoked salmon and cheese are a particular focus for me...my cold smoking window is so short that I try to do all I can...but hanging meat for months...ain't gonna happen here...
I assume the cost of some cured meats is in "the waiting" period....
Anyhoo...thanks for the education
I agree. Being able to do it yourself is very satisfying. On the other hand you may have a long wait and you have to throw the meat away. As for the cost, the time to cure is a major factor, but also by the end of the drying period you are loosing about 30% of the original weight of the meat.
Just got the book, Thanks.
For what is worth, in Spain they are covered with lard before they are set to dry.
SamuelG
The lard is to stop the outside of the meat from drying out too quickly. If it does, then no moisture can escape from the inside, and you get a ruined piece of meat. Procuitto is typically air dried for 6 months to a year. It is covered in the Charcuterie book.